The young lovers ( ponyboy fanfic)

26

"Dallas, don't give me lip. If you wake up Baby with all this cussing you're gonna be sorry, you hear me?" I snap at Dally as he awkwardly holds Tucker in his arms.

With everyone off to school or work, or getting themselves into trouble, I jump at the the opportunity to show Dally how to take care of HIS baby. 

"God, then let's get on with it!" he says, readjusting Tucker in his arms. Tucker really doesn't cry a lot, and that is a blessing. Dallas Winston with a kid is bad enough. Dallas Winston with a whiny kid would be a disaster. 

"Okay. First things first. He needs a bath. You got clothes and blankets, yeah?" I ask him. 

"Yeah, in that bag over there," he says, motioning his head to a big black bag on the couch. I open it up, and there's everything you could ever think of. Baby food, clothes, blankets, shoes, diapers, baby wipes, and everything else. Some stuff I could use myself. 

"Man, she really dumped him on you didn't she?" I ask him. 

"Psh, yeah. She pretty much threw him in my arms and dropped the bag at my feet and went in her way. Good for nothing, I tell you," he says, shaking his head. 

I get out a few blankets, a change of clothes, and things to change Tucker's diaper. 

"Woah, I thought he was taking a bath," Dallas says. 

"You think it's gonna be easy?" I ask him, walking into the kitchen. "He's a baby, Dal. He can't do this on his own." 

I fill up the sink and add some liquid soap to the water after making sure it wasn't too hot. I'm praying in my mind that he won't scream when we put him in for a bath. The last thing I need is Dal storming off and leaving me with two babies to care for. 

"Okay. Take all of his clothes off," I say. Dallas stares at me, like somehow it will magically happen. I take Tucker from him and lay him on the table. He squirms around a bit, and furrows his eyebrows like the little Winston boy he is. 

"Now. Take his clothes off," I say a bit more sternly.  He curses under his breath, and he slowly undoes the onesie. 

"There. Now slip it over his head, make sure it don't hang on his ears," I say.  He eventually takes the onesie all the way off- and that's when I saw it- the little boy's body is littered with faint bruises. 

"What the hell is that!?" Dallas says, running his hands through his hair. He's angry, and he looks like he's ready to snap. 

"They put hands on that kid. My kid. Sylvia, I swear to god if I ever see her again... Letting people treat him this way. I'll kill her. I'll just...I'll..." 

"Dally, listen to me," I say, grabbing his arm. "You are the one taking care of him now. YOU. Ain't nobody gonna hurt him anymore. But you're the only person he has. So step up, and be his father." 

He starts to say something and tries to pop off, but he just nods, returning his attention back to Tucker. I know he may look alright on the outside, but I know on the inside is fury and rage that's being held back.

  "Ok... It's gonna be alright. Just... take his diaper off now," I say, my heart breaking at the sight of the bruises. 

"Okay, now pick him up, and we can put him in the sink."i say.

Dallas takes the baby in his arms, and slowly sets him in the sink. Tucker splashes and smiles at the water, and Dallas just looks at him, emotionless, his mind somewhere else. 

"Alright. Now let me hold him, and you can wash him off. Until he can really hold himself up, you might need a little help with giving him a bath."